Manchester United FC: Wayne Rooney has scored just as many Premier League goals as Romelu Lukaku… in fewer minutes

In the final months of the 2016-17 Premier League season, it became increasingly evident Wayne Rooney would be leaving Manchester United.

England’s all-time record goalscorer looked a shadow of his former self, and appeared to provide nothing more for United than a whole load of running and enough huffing and puffing to rival the wolf who attempted to renovate the homes of three little pigs.

Everton, the club Rooney left in 2004 to join the Red Devils, welcomed their former starlet back with open arms after a 13-year absence, knowing they were going to lose Romelu Lukaku in the next few days.

Though Chelsea were expected to sign Lukaku, the Belgium forward, Man United swooped in and wrapped up a deal for him to widespread surprise.

For all intents and purposes, Jose Mourinho had managed to replace a well past his peak Rooney with one of Europe’s most feared young goalscorers in Lukaku, spending an initial £75m in the process.

Various reports suggest the £75m paid for Lukaku could rise to around £90m should add-ons be paid, and at the moment, his performances are doing little to suggest that was a wise investment.

In fact, Rooney, who was transferred for £75m less than Lukaku (for those of you bad at maths, Everton signed him for free), has performed just as well as the player Man United signed to replace him.

After the first 17 Premier League matches of the season, both Rooney and Lukaku have scored nine goals in England’s top flight.

It could be said that Rooney is actually performing better than Lukaku, considering he is playing for a much, much worse team than United - so is having to deal with teammates of a lower quality - and has played fewer minutes of Premier League football than the Belgium international (1154 to Lukaku’s 1530).

In the long run, Lukaku is certainly going to do more to live up to his price tag, but, right now, the £75m man is being outperformed by the player Man United let go for free because they thought he was no longer cut out for the top level of the game - Wayne Rooney.